


stars fading, but i linger on dear

by HannahPelham



Series: dream a little dream of me [2]
Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Cheesy, F/M, Fluffy, a continuation of yesterday's rubbish, all the good shit, do enjoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-19 11:08:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29998431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HannahPelham/pseuds/HannahPelham
Summary: Dearest Mother and Charles,I have the most wonderful news! Ben and I are engaged to be married! He’s telephoned father, and father has given his blessing. The snow is beautiful here in Maine, but the most beautiful thing is my engagement ring. It used to belong to Ben’s late mother, and I feel so honoured to be it’s guardian. Will tell you more when I am home!All our love,Honoria and Ben
Relationships: Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce/Honoria Winchester
Series: dream a little dream of me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2206497
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	stars fading, but i linger on dear

**Author's Note:**

> Someone asked me to write some more of these two, so I did! I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Honoria's wedding dress is Jackie Kennedy's. 
> 
> Un-betad. We die like men.

It had long been expected that the wedding of Honoria Winchester would be the great Boston society event of the season. As it was, it took place in a garden in a little town in Maine with not nearly as many guests, and not nearly as much fanfare. 

The first thing Hawkeye did on his first morning as an engaged man was telephone Boston. He figured that he should start off on the right foot, and so before he really registered what he was doing, he was on the phone to Honoria’s father. 

_ “Winchester?” _

“Mr Winchester, it’s Benjamin Pierce”

_ “Pierce?” _

“Hawkeye”

_ “Ah yes, what can I do for you?” _

“Well actually there was something I needed to ask you, if I were, in theory, to ask Honoria to marry me, would I have your blessing?” Hawkeye asked nervously. He was almost certain he would get an emphatic no. 

_ “Of course you would, Pierce, you’re a clever and kind man, it would be a delight for you to join our family. Have you asked her yet?”  _ Charles Sr asked. He was fairly sure he knew the answer. 

“I have, and she accepted” Hawkeye replied, smiling widely as Honoria walked into the room, the same silk robe that had tortured him whilst he’d stayed with the Winchesters in the summer pulled tight around her.

_ “Congratulations, Pierce” _

“Would you keep it to yourself? I think she’d like to tell her mother and brother herself”

_ “Of course, my lips are sealed. Give her my love, Pierce” _

“I will, sir”

Hawkeye placed the phone down and turned to Honoria. He opened his arms and she stepped into his embrace. 

“Your father says hello,” He said, kissing her cheek gently, “he’s not going to mention anything to your mother or brother, you can write to them and tell them about this yourself”

As they ate breakfast that morning, Honoria wrote a letter to her family.

_ Dearest Mother and Charles, _

_ I have the most wonderful news! Ben and I are engaged to be married! He’s telephoned father, and father has given his blessing. The snow is beautiful here in Maine, but the most beautiful thing is my engagement ring. It used to belong to Ben’s late mother, and I feel so honoured to be it’s guardian. Will tell you more when I am home! _

_ All our love _

_ Honoria and Ben _

The snow had continued to fall overnight, and Hawkeye decided it was absolutely perfect weather to give Honoria a tour of Crabapple Cove. They wrapped up in scarves and gloves, the hat Hawkeye had knitted firmly on Honoria’s head, and they headed out into the snow. Daniel had already gone to work, with all the snow and ice someone was bound to have hurt themselves. He just hoped it wasn’t his son or his future daughter-in-law. 

Hawkeye and Honoria spent the best part of the morning walking around Crabapple Cove, Hawkeye telling stories of his childhood, memories with his parents, first kisses, getting into fights, and about the people of the town. Honoria listened intensely to every word, determined to remember each and every story. She was sure Hawkeye would forget telling her some of them, and she’d be able to surprise him when she brought them up. It was only a little thing, but it meant a lot to her. 

Once they were back home, Hawkeye set to work on making cocoa for them, whilst Honoria changed out of her winter clothes. 

“C-can I help-p?” She asked as she made her way back downstairs. 

“Just make yourself comfortable, my love, and soon you shall be rewarded for your snow-walking efforts with the best cocoa this side of Boston” Hawkeye replied, kissing her gently as she walked past. Honoria blushed and made her way to the living room. She picked out a record,  _ Holiday Inn,  _ and put it on the phonograph. It played quietly as Hawkeye made his way in from the kitchen with two steaming mugs. He set them down on the coffee table and held a hand out for Honoria. She took it and stood up. Hawkeye briefly kissed the ring on her finger, and pulled her into his arms. 

They danced slowly and gently around the living room, more swaying in each other’s arms than dancing. 

“Let’s g-get married h-here” Honoria said quietly, her head leaning on Hawkeye’s chest. 

“Here?” He asked. 

“Cr-cr-crabapple Cove” She clarified. The smile that lit up Hawkeye’s face as she said it lit up the whole room. He was anticipating having to have a huge Boston society wedding, but hearing that Honoria wanted to get married in his hometown made his heart sing. Hawkeye kissed Honoria, his arms wrapping around her tightly. They collapsed onto the couch like a pair of teenagers, necking for the very first time in their lives. 

When Daniel arrived home that evening, he found Hawkeye and Honoria asleep on the couch in each other’s arms, hair dishevelled and something that looked distinctly like Honoria’s lipstick around Hawkeye’s mouth. He quietly and carefully put a blanket over them and carried on through the house to make dinner. 

Hawkeye woke up to the smell of his dad’s cooking with his fiance in his arms. As he looked down at Honoria, still fast asleep with her head on his chest, Hawkeye didn’t think he’d ever been so happy. He leant down and kissed Honoria gently, her eyes fluttering open as she woke up. 

That evening, as Honoria sat charming Daniel, Hawkeye sat in an armchair across the room, writing a letter to BJ. 

_ Dear BJ (and Peg, since I know you’ll end up reading this), _

_ It snowed this week, and you know what that means. Yesterday morning, when I was sure snow was coming, I drove down to Boston and collected Honoria. I brought her back to Crabapple Cove, and the snow started to fall just as we got back.  _

_ I asked Honoria to marry me yesterday afternoon, and she said yes! She has my mother’s engagement ring, Dad found it out for me without telling me. I haven’t thanked him yet, but I think he knows how grateful I am. I spoke to Charles II on the phone this morning and got his blessing, Honoria has written to her mother and Charles III. I can’t imagine he’ll be best pleased at my becoming his brother-in-law, but he’s going to have to deal with it.  _

_ I don’t think we’ll plan anything before Christmas now, but my darling fiance has already expressed a preference for marrying in Crabapple Cove, which is how I know she really does love me. She sends her love to you both and to Erin, who she is so desperate to meet. Give Erin a hug from her Uncle Hawkeye and a kiss on the cheek from Aunt Honoria. Don’t tell her I told you, but last night I heard Honoria practicing everyone’s names in the mirror, so she doesn’t stutter as much on them. The K in Hawkeye was proving difficult, so she calls me Ben. She’s the first person since my mother to call me Ben all the time, and it’s wonderful. It feels right that she calls me that, everyone else calls me Hawkeye so my wife should call me Ben.  _

_ Anyway I’ll stop rambling on about the glory of Honoria Winchester, as incredible as she is.  _

_ If I don’t write to you before, Happy Thanksgiving! _

_ Love _

_ Hawkeye _

Walking to the mailbox the next morning, Hawkeye and Honoria ran into an old familiar face from Hawkeye’s childhood. 

“I swear you get taller every time I see you, Benjamin” Mrs Campbell said as she walked up to the pair. It was a warmer day, so Honoria wasn’t wearing gloves, and her engagement ring was sparkling in the bright sunlight. 

“I’m walking on air, Mrs C, that’s why” Hawkeye replied, smiling at Honoria. Mrs Campbell noticed the ring and gasped. 

“I recognise that ring,” She said, shaking Honoria’s hand, “you’re a lucky woman, Miss…?”

“Winchester, b-but c-call me Honoria”

“You’re very lucky Honoria, I looked after Benjamin here when he was just a little boy, such a happy little man he was too, and who wouldn’t be with parents like his” Mrs Campbell said, making Hawkeye blush a little. Honoria smiled at him. 

“You’ll h-have t-t-to t-tell me all ab….out what he w-was like” Honoria replied. Hawkeye could tell from her grip on his arm that she was nervous, but he placed a gentle hand on hers, and she calmed a little. 

“You sound so refined and lovely, dear, where are you from?”

“Boston” Honoria replied, grateful to be answering with one of the words she knew she wouldn’t stutter on. 

“Boston! Gosh you must think we’re a quaint little place up here” Mrs Campbell exclaimed.

Honoria laughed, “I’m b-becoming v-very fond of it”

Mrs Campbell smiled at the couple and let them go on their way. Hawkeye knew that by the time he and Honoria returned to his dad’s house, news of his engagement would be all around Crabapple Cove, but Mrs Campbell meant well. She’d been a friend of his mother’s, and that mattered a lot to Hawkeye. 

Before either of them knew it, Honoria’s week in Crabapple Cove was over, and the car was being loaded up for the drive back to Boston. Honoria left some things at Hawkeye’s house, so she’d have something there the next time she came back. They agreed that every time she visited, she’d bring some belongings with her, and every time he visited her in Boston, he’d take a couple of boxes back with him. 

As they drove down the coast towards Boston, their hands were joined unless absolutely necessary. Neither wanted to say goodbye, and they both cried as they said goodbye. Hawkeye kissed Honoria soundly when her parents weren’t looking. 

“See you at Christmas, Honoria” Hawkeye whispered, “I love you”

“I love you too, Ben” Honoria replied, kissing him again before her mother appeared to fawn over her engagement ring. When she was told it belonged to Hawkeye’s late mother, Mrs Winchester hugged him. 

“I know it’s not the same, but if you need a mother, you have me now” She said as she did so. Hawkeye smiled at her, as he held back his tears. 

Christmas came around quickly, with Hawkeye busy all through the fall and winter running the clinic in Crabapple Cove with his father. He’d never gone back to surgery, and he didn’t miss it. He’d expected to go and pick Honoria up from Boston for Christmas, but she’d written a week or so before to say she’d make her own way to Crabapple Cove. He had no idea how, but he was sure she had her reasons. 

Her reasons became abundantly clear when she arrived on 23rd December, with her parents and brother. Mr and Mrs Winchester were delighted to see Daniel Pierce again, having not seen him since the family reunion in New York whilst Hawkeye and Charles were in Korea. Charles was not best pleased to be in rural Maine for Christmas, but he loved his little sister, and would do anything to make her happy. 

Christmas with the Pierces also provided a good opportunity for Honoria to practice being a hostess before she got married. As it turned out, she didn’t need any practice, she was utterly charming. 

On Christmas Eve, the great and the good of Crabapple Cove were invited to Daniel Pierce’s house for cocoa and carols, and everyone was beguiled by the Boston beauty that had stolen the heart of the town’s most eligible bachelor. Nobody said a word about her stutter, which both Honoria and Hawkeye guessed was Daniel’s doing. 

Christmas Day itself was the best one Hawkeye had had since his mother had been alive. He and Honoria cooked the dinner, with great success. 

Hawkeye had wondered what he should get Honoria for Christmas. In the end, he wrote to Mrs Winchester to get her dress size, and ordered her a beautiful new dress, of navy blue velvet. Honoria threw herself into Hawkeye’s arms in gratitude. 

“Oh Ben, it’s b-b-beautiful” She said, kissing his cheek. Hawkeye blushed and kissed her.

“Well I thought the blue would go with my eyes,” He joked, “and I thought it might look nice with the sapphire in your ring”

Honoria held her left hand up in front of the dress, and found that the blue of the dress and the blue of the sapphire were almost identical. For her other present, Hawkeye gave Honoria freedom to repaint, rearrange, and redesign as much of his house as she wanted, so that when it became their house, it felt like home. 

In return, Honoria gave Hawkeye a new camera, and an empty photo album for them to fill together. 

Hawkeye had no idea what his father had gotten Honoria for Christmas. Daniel had insisted on getting her something, despite Hawkeye’s protests, but when Honoria opened the little box, Hawkeye knew why. 

Honoria opened a small jewellery box to find a pair of earrings that matched her engagement ring. She knew instantly that they had belonged to Hawkeye’s mother once upon a time. 

“Oh D-Daniel, you’re f-far t-t-too kind, I already h-have your w-w-wife’s ring, I c-coul-” She started. 

“Honoria,” Daniel interrupted, “Cynthia always wanted the ring and the earrings to go to Hawkeye’s wife, and I think they’ll suit you very well” 

Honoria burst into grateful tears, and hugged her future father-in-law tight. Ever since she’d first met him, Daniel Pierce had been nothing but wonderful to her. 

The next few days before the Winchesters returned to Boston were spent planning Hawkeye and Honoria’s wedding. They decided they’d marry in Crabapple Cove, in Hawkeye’s garden, with the ceremony officiated by Father Mulcahy. Hawkeye was not a particularly religious man, but he wouldn’t have anyone else. As it turned out, Honoria didn’t really have any friends from Boston that she wanted to invite, so the guest list was small, and consisted mainly of veterans of the 4077th. 

Before any of them knew it, 1st of May had come around and the great and the good of the 4077th were descending on Crabapple Cove for the marriage of the century. 

Hawkeye stayed at his father’s house with the men the night before, and he’s promised Honoria he wouldn’t drink too much.

Honoria stayed at his - their - house with the ladies. Unbeknownst to Hawkeye, Honoria spent her evening asking Margaret Houlihan, Peg Hunnicutt, Soon Lee Klinger, and Janey O’Reilly is they’d be her bridesmaids. She didn’t know them very well, but she knew they meant a lot to Hawkeye, and that was all that mattered to her. 

With Erin Hunnicutt and the two O’Reilly children safely sitting up front with Daniel Pierce, Hawkeye took his place at the altar. Father Mulcahy smiled at him as Charles walked over. 

“You know Pierce,” He said as he reached him, “of all the people in the world that Honoria could marry, I’m glad it’s you”

“Thanks Charles, that really means a lot” Hawkeye replied, choking up a little. He’d been finding it hard not to cry all morning. 

When Hawkeye saw Margaret, Peg, Janey, and Soon Lee acting as bridesmaids, the dam burst and the tears began to fall. 

The sight of Honoria in the most beautiful wedding dress made him damn near sob. He managed to pull himself together by the time Honoria reached the end of the makeshift aisle. He took her hand in his, and so they were married, and Honoria did not stutter on a single word. 

Honoria laughed as Hawkeye dipped her for their first kiss as man and wife, and Hawkeye swore it was the sweetest sound he ever heard. 


End file.
